The Honourable Thread of Downton Abbey - The Third

[Moln]

Who filled up the last thread? Hmm?

All I wanted to say was Jonathan Rhys Meyers?

No!! I don't like him and he's a pants actor.

I keep thinking about books of that rough period which feature stately homes- the Mitfords and Brideshead basically and wondering where all the weekend house parties, hunts, London visits and entertaining gay American second cousins are. Their lives at Downton are incredibly dull.

yes iamshe i was going to mention hunting; didn't they do it once in the first series? I don't remember actually, maybe they're members of the 1920s Anti Hunt Brigade

They would have been in London for the season AND would've been debs wouldn't they? JF obviously has other issues to explore

Well I´m thinking that they can´t afford to anything due to Lord G´s losing all the money!

I didn't expect Mary and Matthew would get as dull as this - and there seems to be a power in balance - as in Mary being on top.

But in the last series I thought they might be equals and soul mates.

Yes-he´s given all his money-but how dare he, as a non aristo, have an opinion-let alone one different to papa´s

I'm surprised Mary isn't somewhat more receptive given her overriding desire to keep Downton in the family. The risk of Lord 6 pissing all the Swire money away must be fairly evident.

She's not against mathew she just doesn't know how to oppose her father tactfully- and to be fair nor does Mathew apparently!

Well I think Matthew is at the end of his tether due to Lord Ignoramus keep brushing him off/not listening.

Time for Matthew to give the Lord a good shouting at I think - and Mary will not be happy - her face will be full of a stern concern for papa.

Some men (including Matthew obviously LIKE to be dominated ). He isn't the most assertive of types is he? I can't see him shouting at his FIL just getting on with what needs to be done and hoping he won't notice!

Yes up to now Matthew has been very accommodating and a bit mamby pamby. Hopefully by Sunday, the build up of unbearable pressures might take him to a crisis point whereby he will dig into his pants and find the courage to speak with great authority at last.

Have been avoiding this thread for three weeks while in hospital with rubbish iplayer connection. No one sent chocolates. Have caught up now because of chronic pain keeping me awake last night because I am ill, I tell you. Have I mentioned the fact that no one has sent chocolates?

Whinged at the time in a querulously invalidy-fashion to MNHQ about the idiot who posted about the pretty death of poor Lady Capstan-Non-Filters in AIBU without spoilers in the title. They changed the title but clearly felt I was mad. My excuse is that I was dying and probably still am.

What is Matthew's problem? Is he unable to get it into Lady Mary because of his injury? Are they sure they're using the right hole? I seem to remember Lady Mary rejecting Cora's wedding night talk and given her history with Pamuk maybe she's got it wrong.

Cora shouldn't submit to doing it with Lord 6 ever again because his pretentiousness KILLED HER BABY. And he's shit with her money. And he's got a pudgy chest that would undoubtedly make farty noises when pressed sweatily against you.

It's probably been asked before but indulge me.

It's rubbish btw, I don't like the long bed-plaits on Cora and Lady Mary and I don't like the colour of that dog. It's common. I shall continue watching.

limited thought I hadn't seen you around. I was internet-less this week and found that grim enough. Chronic pain and dying must have been nearly as bad.

Have some chocolate

Matthew thinks his injury pre the restorative Tingle is to blame for Mary not being pregnant. She avoids the subject, prob out of guilt that Pamukery may be responsible. Not that I think it is. I think the story is a poor substitute for the "WillTheyWon'tThey?" of last series. That and the "ChangeTheEstate" "NoDon't" we're now enduring between Lord Incompetent and the Youngers.

Thanks for the chocolate fiderer. It's nice to know someone cares

Dr Titled from Harley Street thinks Matthew should wait. I think he should have a full gamut of investigations from Dr Common from Cottage Hospital with Isobel hovering over him in her practical way with instruments and diagrams.

Or a frank talking-to from Ethel with or without the drippy Lady Mary. Ethel could do much better for herself than whipping up raspberry sponge fingers for the upper classes as long as she moves to London, gets racier clothes and ditches those dreadful hats.

Then little Charlie could move back in with her and in her smart London house and become a terribly precocious child. I think JF has forgotten about Charlie and it's all going to get mired in talk of estates and Matthew and Mary mooning tragically in their barrenness.

God, the new Sybil is an awfully big baby.

Yes limited we've christened baby Sybs Great Big Baby Sybs I've added Beautiful 'cos she IS. BTW sorry to hear you've been laid up how orfly rotten for you; I hope you got good ministrations from `Dr. Common ' or 'Dr. Titled'

I think Edith is going to marry the newspaper man and she'll have a boy, Matthew and Mary will have either a girl or none, then Edith will gain some power as being the mother of the heir and so there will be a bit of a shift between her and Mary. Maybe.

I do quite like the idea of Edith producing the heir so that Mary doesn´t get absolutely everything!

Does anyone think that Mary and Edith's relationship has changed since the death of Sybil? maybe a bit kinder to one another?

Does anyone think that Mary and Edith's relationship has changed since the death of Sybil? maybe a bit kinder to one another?

Not really.

Maybe not actively nasty atm.

I think the only "kindness" I saw was when Edith told Mary that Matthew was missing in action because she thought that Mary should know.

Lord G said something like "typical Edith" & Mary said that it was OK & that Edith was right to tell her.

so is Sunday def the last episode?

I think daisy will take over farm. Branson will be estate manager. They will come into more frequent contact. I reckon he'll end up with her.

OOh Pooka good idea but marry a KITCHEN MAID even if he WAS a chauffeur he climbed the social ladder didn't he? Of course he IS an Irish catholic so maybe it would be what the Upstairs would expect!

Martha my sunday's won't be the same either I hope there's a Christmas special. The problem with stuff on at Xmas is I'm always too busy to watch again BOO.

Daisy will climb quite a few rungs when she gets the farm. I don't see her with Pickle though.

I can't see Pickles going from Sybil's husky tones to Daisy's shrieky squawkiness.

I agree Erik that Daisy will climb a few rungs when she goes to the farm, a few rungs up into the haybarn with her father in law. They'd make a lovely January-December coupling! Will-eeeee-ummmm's ghost might not be thrilled however.